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Happy New Year. Frigid cannot begin to describe what we experienced the first week of 2018 along with snow accumulations and hazardous driving conditions. Last week was noted at times to be colder than Alaska. This was conducive to staying inside and getting some rest and relaxation after the holidays. Now you are geared up and ready for the spring semester. For several this means securing internships, summer research opportunities or taking advantage of learning beyond the classroom.

Congratulations to the Kendrick Peterson, a second-year political science major and Building Bridges mentee, on his selection to participate in Harvard’s Kennedy School of Public Policy Conference. This is the primary focus of Building Bridges to nurture the academic pipeline. Please visit our website: MSPS.ND.Edu to see other MSPS constituents who have and will be doing outstanding work in preparation for either graduate/professional school or in pursuit of their career goals.

Bree Newsome

Walk the Walk Week begins on January 15, 2018. We are very excited about our MLK Study of Race Series for the spring semester. Multicultural Student Programs and Services will host Ms. Bree Newsome on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. Ms Newsome is an American filmmaker, musician, speaker, and activist from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is best known for her act of civil disobedience on June 27, 2015, when she was arrested for removing the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state house grounds. The office will sponsor a student workshop titled, “Mindful Protest” at 4:00 p.m. in 138 DeBartolo. Ms. Newsome will address the community at 7:00 p.m. “Tearing Hate from the Sky” in 101 DeBartolo. Thank you to our co-sponsors the Center for Social Concerns and Department of Africana Studies. We will also have tickets available for DPAC’s production – The Mountaintop on Friday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. They will be distributed on a first come first serve basis. Contact Sue Pawlicki at msps@nd.edu to reserve your space. Tickets must be picked up by Friday noon.

Black History Month is rapidly approaching. There are a plethora of activities planned from African International Weekend to the Black Cultural Arts Council’s Coffee House. During Coffee House an outstanding first year male and female will receive BCAC’s Thurgood Marshall Scholarship. First Year students, how involved have you been with this club? You could be one of the fortunate recipients of this book award. On February 19th, MSPS will hold our third MSPS Study of Race speaker in collaboration with the Student Union Board. The February Interrace Forum is considering an excursion. So stay tuned for further announcements.

Enjoy your last week of Christmas Break and place the stated events on your calendar for things to do.

Honoring and respecting humanity is integral to living the mission of the Congregation of Holy Cross and our faith. With the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designating Friday, September 9th as a Day of Prayer for peace, the Center for Social Concerns and Multicultural Student Programs and Services called for the Notre Dame Community and Nevada fans to join us in standing for Solidarity for Racial Justice. More than one hundred and seven faculty, alumni, administrators, graduate and undergraduate students and campus visitors processed from Geddes Hall to the Jesus statute with the inscription “Come to Me” ending at Father Sorin’s statute. Victims of the senseless violence that has plagued our Nation over the past two years were lamented throughout the thirty minute service. Thank you to those who joined our Solidarity for Racial Justice campaign. During the remainder of the fall semester, you are invited to attend events sponsored by numerous departments in support of the campaign. The next is the Book Club, where we will read Citizen by Claudia Rankine. If you are interested in join the club, contact Kyle Lantz at the Center for Social Concerns. You should note that Ms. Rankine is scheduled to visit campus January 2017.

Thank you to the companies, Notre Dame Departments and DC of ND clubs for participating in the 2016 MSPS Picnic. The afternoon was filled with good music, performances and meeting new friends and connecting with old ones. Congratulations to the winners of the numerous door prizes provided by PWC, Accenture, and KPMG.

On September 21st MSPS’ first Hispanic Heritage event, the Interrace Forum, focused on Latinas in the Media: Stereotypes and Critiques. The attendees will be challenged to think more critically about the messages sent by media. The first event of the MLK Study of Race Series is the Diane Guerrero Lecture. Ms. Guerrero, actress in Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, will talk about her immigration reform advocacy work and growing up with undocumented and later deported parents. Please welcome Ms. Guerrero at 7:00 p.m. in DeBartolo 102 on September 26. As part of our Diversity in the Arts initiative, MSPS is sponsoring a dinner and theater trip on November 11 to see Hamilton in Chicago. Students will be eligible to enter the lottery to purchase tickets by attending designated events. Ms. Guerrero’ lecture is the first opportunity, the second will be October 10 at the lecture featuring Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, professor and director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise at the Ohio State University. Other opportunities will be noted in the MSPS newsletter. Tickets will only be sold via the lottery process. If you have any questions, please feel to contact the office by emailing: msps@nd.edu or calling 574-631-6841.

As we enter into the Fall season witnessing the changing landscape, I cannot stop thinking about the fruitful conversations that I have had with first year students regarding the impact of diversity and creating a healthy, welcoming community this month. It is apropos since they are beginning to explore various aspects of their identity and evolve into adulthood. This is a critical time to determine the stances that they will take regarding social justice, politics and other issues. It is imperative that one realizes that intersections of our personal being and these issues are inevitable. How we conduct ourselves when interacting with our peers and those beyond Notre Dame is integral. Often we give freely in our volunteer efforts to those deemed disenfranchised, but are not receptive to our peers. I challenge myself and others to remember we all have gifts and talents that we are willing to share if given the opportunity in genuine conversations. Let’s maintain open hearts, minds and spirits.

September was filled with lectures included in the Africana World series. Pulitzer Prize winning author Taylor Branch spent October 1 giving a keynote address at a community luncheon at the Charles Martin Youth Center and discussing journalism with Notre Dame Communication students and professionals. His day concluded with his “Myth & Miracles From the King Years” lecture in the Eck Hall of Law. He shared his motivation to become involved in writing about the Civil Rights Movement and its’ pivotal moments. Many of his stories gave the audience a personal perspective of Dr. King, which had never before been revealed. The Notre Dame Center for Arts & Culture, MSPS and the Center for Civil & Human Rights sponsored the event.

The October Interrace Forum, Retail Me Not,began with What Would You Do? Shopping While Black 2 segment. Professor Tonya Bradfordprovided commentary on the impact of consumerism and the unknown power of consumers. Read the blog written by Shanice Cox `15 for a complete review of the event (http://sites.nd.edu/msps/2013/10/03/retail-me-not-interrace/). Thank you, Professor Bradford for engaging the students, administrators and Michiana community members in an enlightening conversation. Knowledge is power; those present were charged to use their economic power in their fight for social justice.

I ask that you join the community in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by participating in the upcoming events. La Alianza is sponsoring Fiesta del Sol and El Día de los Muetros with the Institute of Latino Studies and MSPS. Other events will be announced in the near future, please read the MSPS announcements closely.

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Providing academic achievement, career placement, and leadership development programs and services for historically underrepresented students, and providing opportunities for all students to explore multicultural education, critical literacy, and identity development at the University of Notre Dame.